Electrical scoreboard



VlAN

Jan. 5, 1943.

Jan. 5, 1943. J. c. vlAN z,3o1,173

ELECTRICAL SCOREBOARD 'Filed July 9, 1940 '2 Sheets-Shee'rl 2 'zATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 5, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT *OFFICE ELECTRICALsooREBoARn John C. Vian, Lebanon, Ohio Application July 9, 1940, serialNo. 344,553

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an electrical scoreboard or indicator fordisplaying numbers or signals. The invention also is directed to anelectrical circuit arrangement for selecting and controlling the displayof the numbers or signals from a remote location.

While devices of this general type have been available in the past, theprincipal object of the present invention has been to provide separateportable interchangeable units each capable of displaying a number fromto 9. Each such portable unit is provided with an independent switchcircuit and control therefor and the units therefore may be arranged inpatterns or groups determined in accordance with the nature of theinformation or signal to be exhibited. For example, the devices areintended to be utilized by high schools and colleges for scoringathletic events, the individual units being grouped in one suitablearrangement for displaying football scores, in another arrangement forbasketball and still another for scoring track events or other sports.Being portable, the group of units is transported to the playing fieldat the time of the event, then stored until next needed. This feature isof considerable practical importance. A Conventional scoreboard of thetype heretofore employed is costly and elaborate; so expensive in fact,by virtue of the necessity for weatherproofing the housing for theapparatus, that many high 'schools and even colleges do not have thefunds necessary for facilities. The present units are individually andcollectively inexpensive and therefore have already found extensiveusage.

The object of the invention also has been to provide scoring units inwhich the signals are displayed by means of prearranged groupings ofincandescent lamps. The lamps are energized through a circuitarrangement, and the illumination of them in ,predetermined figuregramsor patterns is controlled by the manipulation of switches on a simplepanelboard.

A further objection of the invention has been to provide a circuit forselecting and controlling the display of signals in a simple andefficient manner. In this respect, the invention contemplates a circuitincluding a switch for each digit to be displayed upon the panelboard;the switches, for example, are marked 1 to 0. If a 5 is to be displayedthen the switch corresponding to the digit 5 on the panelboard isactuated and if next a '7 is to be displayed this switch is likewiseoperated after 5 is turned to its initial position.

Other objects and features of the invention 'control is a subtractiveone.

will be apparent from the following description of the typicalembodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a circuit diagram showing the interconnection of the groupof lights in the display unit with the group of controlled switches onthe panelboard. s

Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the switchboard. l

Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 illustrate respectively thelamps of the group which are energized in the delineation of the flgures1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, '7, 8, 9 and 0.

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view showing Ithe construction of one ofthe portable units.

As previously described the lamps of each portable signal unit arearranged in a group or bank and predetermined members of this group orbank are energized for the display of the signals. The lamps of thegroup or bank are arranged in the form of a horizontally extendingrectangle with a row of lamps extending across this horizontal rectangleapproximately intermediate the top and bottom rows of lamps. Forconvenience the pattern of the lamps may be described as a rectangularfigure 8. In the preferred embodiment there are eighteen lamps.

The next feature of the invention which is of importance in obtaining asimple switching circuit is predicated upon the concept of selectivelydeenergizing selected groups of lamps from the total number for thedisplay of signals other than the figure 8. Otherwise expressed, at thebeginning of each signalling period all of the lamps are energized andan 8 figuregram is displayed. The successive groups of lamps aredeenergized upon actuation of the respective switches other than the 8switch so that the process of the In the past it has been proposed touse a plurality of switches for controlling a plurality of lamps incertain groupings but, each switch was employed for making a circuit toa certain group of lamps forming a letter independently of each otherswitch and circuit. The complexity of such an arrangement is avoided inthe present apparatus.

The scoring unit which is illustrated in the drawings comprises acontrolling circuit which is housed in a portable box 12, a panelcircuit [3 of eighteen lights arranged in the form of a rectangularfigure eight and a ten-Wire conducting cable |4 `,which interconnectsthe control circuit and the panel circuit. A two-Wire cable l5, having aplug IS at its one end for quick attachment into the control circuit ll,provides operating current for the unit. The ten-Wire conducting cablel4 has a ten-point plug l1 for making connection into the controlcircuit. Cable M also may have a ten-point plug at its other end (notshown) for connection into the panel circuit l3. A handle l8 is providedfor the box which houses the control circuit so that it may betransported easily.

The control circuit is operated through eleven toggle switches. Ten ofthe toggle switches control the signals which appear on the light panel.For the sake of convenience, those are indicated on the drawings by thedigits which they control, that is, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0. Theother toggle switch l is a master switch and breaks the entire circuitfrom the source of current. The Operating levers or handles for switchesl to 0 and l 0 are I' to 0' and l0' respectively.

Referring to Figure l of the drawings, toggle l is a double pole switchand its two poles are indicated by the numbers la and lb. The dottedline interconnecting la and lb represents a cornmon Operating mechanismwhich is actuated by the switch lever l'. Toggle 2 is also a double poleswitch having poles Za and 2b. Similarly, toggle 3 has poles 3a and 3b.The dotted lines interconnecting poles 2a and 2b and 3a and 819respectively represent common Operating mechanisms for these double poleswitches which respectively are operated by the switch handles 2' and8'. Toggle 4 is a single pole switch and, for clarity, its pole willalso be indicated by 4. Toggle 5 is a double switch having poles 5a and51), interconnected by a common Operating mechanism represented by thedotted line and controlled by the switch handle 5'. Toggle 6 is a singlepole switch and its pole is indioated at 6. Toggle 1 is a double poleswitch having poles 1a and 1b, which are interconnected by the commonOperating mechanism shown by the dotted line which in turn is controlledby the switch handle 1'. Since the digit 8 is formed when all of the 18lights of the panel are on, toggle 8 is a dead switch having noconnection in the circuit. The toggle is provided so that no confusionarises from its absence, in the case of a novice operater. Toggles 9 and0 are both single pole switches, their poles being inclicated,respectively, by 9 and 0.

In Figure 1 the circuit at the left is the control circuit l l. Thebox-like figure between the two circuits, indicated at l9, representsthe tenwire conducting cable M with its two plugs. The circuit at theright represents the panel circuit with its lights. For identifioationthe ten lead wires in the conducting cable are numbered 20, 2l, 22, 23,24, 25, 28, 21, 28, and 29,1ead 29 being the common return. The lightson the panel are numbered, starting at the top left 30, 3l, 32, 33, 34,35, 36, 31, 30, 39, 40, 4l, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, and 41, respectively.

The switches in the circuit are arranged to break the contacts to thoselights that are not a part of the desired digit signal. In other words,the double pole switch operated by the handle l' controls the formationof digit 1, this switch thus breaks the circuit to all rights exceptthose necessary to form a figure 1. So, when all digit switches are off,and the master switch is on, the digit 8 will be shown.

In the control circuit a lead 48 from the source of power divides atpoint 49 into leads 50 and 5l which go to poles l0a and lllb of toggleswitch `l0 respectively. The other lead from the source of power extendsthrough to the common lead or wire 29 of the ten-Wire conducting cablel4 and for simplicity will bear its reference character 29.

Now tracing the leads from pole la to the tenwire conducting cable M, alead 52, from pole l0a, divides at point 53, one lead 54 going to polela of toggle l and the other 55 going to dividing point 56. Two leads 51and 58 extend from point 56.

From pole la, a lead 58 divides at point 60; one lead 6l going to pole1a and the other, being Wire 20 of the ten wire conductor, goes to thecable M, as represented by the box l9. A lead 02 from pole 1a divides atpoint 63 into leads 64 and 65, lead 84 going to pole 0. From pole 0 thewire 2l extends to the cable M. Lead 65 connects point 63 to pole 2a.The other side of pole Za is connected to pole Sa by a lead 80. Wire 22of the cable M extends from the other side of pole Sa.

From point 58, the two leads 51 and 58 go to poles 2b and Sa,respectively. The other side of pole 2b is connected to Wire 23 of theten-wire conducting cable M while a lead 61 extends from the other sideof pole 5a to connect it to pole 6. The other side of pole 5 isconnected to Wire 24 of cable M.

From pole lllb of switch l0 a lead 68 extends to a point 69. Point 69 isconnected through a lead 10 to pole lbV on the one side and on the otherside to the cable M through Wire 28. From pole lb a lead 1l extends topole 4 which is conneoted at its other side by a lead 12 to a dividingpoint 13. One lead from point 13 is the wire 21 of the cable M, theother is a lead 14 which connects it to pole 'i'b of switch 1. A lead15, from the other side of the pole 1b goes to a point 16 where itdivides into a lead 11 and Wire 26 of cable M. Lead 11 extends frompoint 16 to pole 3b. Pole 31) is connected to pole 5b by a lead 18 andpole 51) is connected to pole 9 by a lead 19. The other side of the pole9 is connected to Wire 25 of the ten-Wire conducting cable.

In the diagram of the circuit of the panel lights (Figure 1) two linesand 8l, running parallel to each other, are in connection with thecommon return Wire 29 through leads 82 and 83 respectively. Foridentifioation, the joint between leads 80 and 82 will be numbered 84and the joint between leads 8l and 83 will be numbered 85. The pointwhere leads 82 and 88 join return 29 will be numbered 88.

Two lines 81 and 88 joined at point 89 connect the other ends ofparallel leads 80 and 8l as at points 90 and l-il, respectively. Light3l is connected into line 81 and light 32 is connected into line 88.Between the two ends of the parallel lines two leads 92 and 93, joinedat joint 94, are connected to the lines 80 and 8l at points 95 and 98,respectively.

All lights, with the exception of light 30, are connected in parallelcircuits, light 30 being connected in series with Wire 20, through point90, lead 80, point 84, lead 82 and point 86 to the common return wire29.

Lights 3l and 82 are in a parallel circuit from wire 21 to point 89where the circuit divides into wires 81 and 88, and so through the twopoints 90 and Ql, the two parallel leads 80 and 8l, the points 84 and85, leads 82 and 83 to connecting points 88, to return 29.

Lights 33 and 41, the only two lights that are on for every digit, arein a parallel circuit from vlead 28. At point 91, on lead 28, a dividinglead 98 goes through light 33, point 9l, lead 8l to point 85. From point91, lead 28 extends through light 41 to a point 99. From point 99 a leadl connects to point 85. From point 85 the parallel circuit for lights 33and 41 is completed through lead 83, point 86, and return 29.

Panel lights 34 and 36 are connected across from Wire 22 to lead 80 andso to return 29 through point 84, lead 82 and point 86.

Lights 35 and 31 are connected across Wire 24 and lead 8l to form aparallel circuit which has its return through lead 8l, point 85, lead83, point 86 to Wire 29.

The circuit furnishing current to lights 38 and 39 comes through Wire 2Iand divides at point 94 into leads 92 and 93 which go through lights 38and 39 respectively to points 95 and 96, through the parallel leads 80and 8! to points 84 and 85, leads 82 and 83 to join return 29 at point86.

Lights 41 and 43 are connected across to lead 8| from Wire 23 toestablish a circuit through point 85, lead 83 and point 86 to return 29.

Light 40 and 42 are connected across from line 25 to line 80 and sothrough point 84, line 82 and point 86 to return 86.

Lights 44, 45 and 46 are in a circuit from Wire 26 which comprises alead l0l that divides from Wire 26 at point l02 and goes through light44 to point |03, a lead I04 to point 84, lead 82 and point 86 to return29. Wire 26 goes to a point 105 to divide into leads l06 and l01respectively. Light 45 is on lead l06 which connects point I to pointl03. Lead I01 goes through light 46 to point 99 and so to the return 29through lead l00, point 85,1ead 83 and point 86.

In surmnary, Wire 20 controls light 30; Wire 2l controls lights 38 and39; Wire 22 controls lights 34 and 36; Wire 23 controls lights 4l and43; Wire 24 controls lights 35 and 31; Wire 25 controls lights 40 and42; wire 26 controls lights 44, 45 and 46; Wire 21 controls lights 3land 32; and Wire 28 controls lights 33 and 41. Wire 29 is common to all.

Figures 3 to 12, of the drawings, illustrate the digits 1 to 0,inclusive, and show, by heavier lines, which wires are energized tolight each digit.

Operation As stated before, the circuit is arranged to turn out thoselights which are not a part of the desired digit When the control togglefor that particular digit is thrown. The panel of lights, arranged inthe form of a rectangular figure eight, provides all of the lightsnecessary to form any of the ten digits. By turning certain of thelights out, the operation can form any one of the digits at Will. It isto be observed that only one switch, With the exception of switch l0, isleft manipulated at any time.

To deenergize those lights necessary to leave the digit 1 showing, theoperator throws toggle l by Operating handle I' to break the controllingcircuit at poles l a and lb. This cuts out wires 20, 2l, 22, 25, 26, and21, breaking the circuit to lights 30, 3l, 32, 34, 36, 38, 39, 40, 42,44, 45, 46, leaving lamps 33, 35, 31, 4l, 43 and 41 energized throughwires 28, 24, 23 and 29 (Figure 3).

Digit 2 is lighted by Operating handle 2' to break the circuit at poles2a and 2b. This deenergizes wires 22 and 23 cutting out lights 34, 36,4l and 43 (Figure 4).

Digit 3 is formed by throwing handle 3' to cut out wires 22 and 25 atpoles 3a and 3o, deenergizing lights 34, 36, 40 and 42 (Figure 5).

Digit 4 is lighted when wires 21, 25, and 26 are cut from the circuit byOperating handle 4' which breaks the current at pole 4 (Figure 6).

Digit 5 is formed by throwing handle 5' to break the current to lights35, 31, 40 and 42 from wires 24 and 25 at poles 5a and 5b| (Figure 7)Digit 6 is lighted by Operating handle 6' to break pole 6 to cut outWire 24 and deenergize lights 35 and 31 (Figure 8).

Digit 7 is lighted When poles 1a and 1by are broken by Operating handle1' to cut out wires 21, 22, 25 and 26 and deenergize lights 34, 36, 38,39, 40, 42, 44, 45 and 46 (Figure 9).

Digit 8 is formed when all of the lights are on, so toggle 8 is a deadswitch and is not connected into the circuit (Figure 10).

Digit 9 is formed by the deenergization of lights 40 and 42 through pole9 and Wire 25 by operating handle 9' (Figure 11).

Digit 0 is formed when handle 0' isthrown to break the current to Wire2l at. pole 0 and so to deenergize lights 38 and 39 (Figure 12).

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An electrical scoreboard unit comprising a source of energy, aplurality of incandescent lamps arranged in the form of a figure 8,circuit means which is common to the lamps and the source of energy,including a plurality of branch circuits to said lamps and switch meansin said branch circuits for selectively deenergizing predeterminedelectric lamps of said plurality, Whereby the lamps remaining energizeddisplay flgures from 0 to 9 upon actuation of said switch meansrespectively.

2. A unit for an electric scoreboard, which comprises a housing having apanel, a plurality of electric lamps arranged upon said panel in theform of a figure 8, circuit means which is common to said electric lampsincluding branch circuits to said lamps arranged in groups, which lampsin said groups form numerals from zero to 9 when they are energized, asource of energy for said circuit means, said circuit means beingarranged to energize all of said branch circuits upon being suppliedWith electric energy, and a plurality of switches in said branchcircuits each for selectively deenergizing a predetermined branch insuch manner that the lamps in the branches undeenergized display figuresfrom 0 to 9, respectively.

3. A scoreboard device comprising a panel, a plurality of electriclights arranged upon the panel, all of the lights arranged upon thepanel for display of a figure 8 when they are illuminated, a secondpanel containing a plurality of switches respectively designatingfigures from 0 to 9, a main circuit and branch circuits common to themain circuit and to groups of electric lights of said plurality, thecertain groups of electric lights controlled by said switches beingarranged relative to the other groups of electric lights of saidplurality, whereby the lights remaining illuminated after actuation ofsaid switches, respectively, form figures from 0 to 9 inclusive.

' JOHN C. VIAN.

